Carbonaceous diamond-like film or films having diamond-like properties, such as the film of this invention, are well-known in the prior art. These films are particularly useful in applications such as the coating of optical lenses to increase the optical transmission through the lens and the coating of mirrors to improve the light reflectivity from the mirror. Such films also find useful applications as protective films in abrasive applications, such as the coating of writing instruments, as a general anti-reflective coating, and as a dielectric or protective coating for silicon and silicon-containing devices. In fact, the diamond-like films disclosed in this invention find many other useful applications in commerce and industry where films which are clear, extremely hard, extremely adherent, abrasion-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and which possess good optical properties, are needed.
While the amorphous, carbonaceous, diamond-like films of the prior art have much to commend them, the search has continued for improved amorphous, carbonaceous films having diamond-like properties. Particularly such a film having increased hardness and increased adherence to various substrates has continued to be sought, as well as a process for producing such a film.
The novel and improved carbonaceous diamond-like film of this invention is an improvement over presently-known films in that it has an extremely low stress, has the ability to tenaciously adhere to many, varied substrates, has a low hydrogen content, and is extremely hard.